POSTAL workers in Stockport were today "raging" over news that 30,000 jobs are to be axed in their industry.

POSTAL workers in Stockport were today "raging" over news that 30,000 jobs are to be axed in their industry.

The 1,500 workers, who run a dozen delivery offices in the town, say they feel "angry and betrayed" at the announcement, which came as a "bolt out of the blue".

They could not rule out strike action if any of the redundancies were compulsory, but promised no disruption over the Christmas period.

The Communication Workers' Union was in the middle of talks with Consignia - the re-named Post Office - about job security when chief executive John Roberts told MPs he was looking at anything up to 30,000 redundancies.

Andy Sorton, Stockport branch secretary of the CWU, said it was not yet possible to predict the impact on the industry locally. The 30,000 figure appeared to have been "pulled out of the air".

"Postal workers in Stockport, as throughout the country, are raging about this announcement," he said.

"We're certainly not going to sit back and see 30,000 jobs axed from this industry.

"Strike action for any individual is the very, very last resort but we can't stand by and watch these people ruin this industry and our livelihoods.

"We've always sought constructive dialogue and we will continue to seek constructive dialogue, but that's very, very difficult when it appears we're dealing with people who lack integrity.

"You can't talk and then make an announcement like this on the same day."

Mr Sorton urged the public to question the performance of Consignia's board after the company lost £280m in six months.

He wants people to contact their MPs and call for an inquiry into the "mismanagement" of the industry.

With mail traffic increasing and fewer people to deliver it, Mr Sorton predicted the postal service would suffer.

"We've been the most profitable and the most successful postal service in the world," he said.

"We've gone from a £600m a year profit to a £280m loss in six months. Why is that?

"Our members believe this board's performance is terrible. They've got them into this situation and it's time they went."